SAN ANTONIO – Regardless of the actual definition, many of us have been calling it ‘Stuffing’ or ‘Dressing’ our whole lives. Turns out, what you call it has as much to do with geography as it does with the ingredients and the way it’s cooked.
CLICK HERE to join the conversation on Facebook...
HEB says the biggest distinction between stuffing and dressing is the way that it’s cooked.
“Traditional stuffing is heated and cooked inside the cavity of the bird. Logistically, some worry that the stuffing, which should maintain an internal temperature that is hot enough to avoid bacteria growth, causes the oven temperature to go up, which could dry out the turkey itself. When the seasoned bread goodness is baked outside of the turkey in a baking dish, it’s referred to as dressing, which makes a crispy casing for soft stuffing inside.”
But Martha Stewart disagrees, “For me and much of the country stuffing is stuffing simply because of geography. Most northern states call the side stuffing regardless of preparation, while those south of the Mason-Dixon line call it dressing.”
While most New Englanders and the majority of West Coasters referred to the dish as “stuffing,” about half of Texans and the majority of Southerners call it “dressing.” Likewise, while most other parts of the country use a base of dried bread, many Texans instead opt for cornbread or dried biscuits.
CLICK HERE for Butterball’s map of the United States – stuffing vs dressing
